End of the month

It got busy here on Thursday, we had a garage fire that was of a minor nature, started down in the garage and then extended to the attic.  Homeowner put out the fire in the garage with a garden hose, and was trying to put it out in the attic when we got there.  It was burning in the insulation and had burned the truss and a couple of stringers completely through.  I used the vent saw to open the hole so we could get in the remove about 5-6 garage cans full of smoldering insulation.  Used the water can to foam it down and left.  Just as we were getting on scene, the ambulance dispatched with us had already arrived on scene and told us "nothing was showing", so I canceled the mutual aid companies, and no more then did that, and one of them got hit with a fully involved structure fire about as far in the easterly direct as the first call had been to the west.  I released our 2nd. engine, tanker and squad to respond to the assist on the house fire and handled the garage fire with just our three man engine company.  That night was followed by my being awaken about 2:30AM with the worst leg cramp I have ever had.  I ended up setting up and reading until about 6AM.  Read about half of the book Ghost Mountain Boys. I have read the book twice before, but it holds special meaning to me as it is about my dad's outfit in the first year of the war.  I guess reading about what these guys went through made my leg cramp pretty trivial.  Worked part of Friday, didn't feel well in the morning so only got about six customers seen in the afternoon.  Spent part of the day reading a book call" Against all Odds" by Jay Walsh.  He is a semi-retired missionary, I think most missionaries only semi-retire, who served almost 40 years in Bangladesh.  I have been spending a lot of time, like hours and hours both reading, and on the Internet, and on the phone doing research about some of the long term missionaries our church supports.  Need to present information about them the first Sunday in March.  Have 6 of them and I get 6 minutes to do it. From what I have found, I could spend 30 minutes on each and in some cases not even do more than scratch the surface. The more I find out about them, the more amazed I am as to what God can do with what we would call ordinary people. Went to bed early Friday night, and wouldn't you know it, just before midnight we get a vehicle fire next to a building.  People had plugged in their diesel van so it would start, and the block heater shorted out and set the van on fire.  PD was first on scene, and got most of it with their fire extinguisher, and we finished up the overhaul with just a couple of cans.  I was a little worried that I might not get back to sleep, as my portable radio didn't work ( dead battery) and my car wouldn't start.  Had to move the truck and take the wife's van, so no lights or siren.  Really slow response.  Anyway, my Lt. had it handled,  we cleared and I went home and was back to sleep almost as soon as I hit the pillow.  Sleep late today.  Worked on a bit of everything today, listened to my play list that I have complied.  Need to have a meeting the first of the week with my soon to be ex prevention coordinator.  I need to remove him and hope that after I talk with him he will resign, would rather he do that then have to remove him.  Its snowing again here just hope this week the roads are clear as I have a lot of miles to go to get caught up with work.

Stress level times 2

I think it is time to retire, this week has gone south with a bullet. Between cell phone problems, computer problems, people problems, and everything else I have had it up pass my eyes.  I have a new cell phone coming but who knows when it will get here, as of now I turn the old one on for a few minutes several times a day to get messages.  That works about as well as a one armed paper hanger.  I can go several days without anything important, and then, BOOM, they want me to go three different directions all at the same time. The computer is acting up can't make entries, and as such the imformation just keeps piling up and someday I will need to spend (waste) a day just doing computer entries.  I had a system that worked well for me, but NO, we need you to use the system we bought so everyone can us it.  That is such a joke!!. It seems that with these days between work, fire department, and everything else coupled with a very sore shoulder and arm, plus a couple of sore feet, which I  don't know why they hurt, my days are becoming one big pain.  I have finally decided to relieve my Prevention person of his responsibilities if he comes up with a place to live inside the area.  One way or the other he is done as of Wednesday.  The guy is okay as a firefighter, but he can't handle his personal life, and he flits for idea to idea and never sticks to anything for very long.  Found some information that he has in fact been living not where he said he was for for longer than he said he was.  I wish he would just move away and solve that problem for me.  At training meeting Thursday, we talked about the low response numbers, and wouldn't you know it, the most talk about that and other people who should join the department came from a guy who makes less than 12% of the calls.    I drives me up the wall when he can set there and run is mouth about people, yet he lives closer than many and you will hardly every see him on a call.  Yet have a meeting where food is served and he is ready to go.  We will see this time, as he will need to report back on what was covered at the meeting this time.  He better take notes or not go.  I lay awake nights thinking about how do I get enough people on the department to insure that we have at least the bare amount of firefighters we need.   Maybe it is time for me to quit, I can't seperate this from anything I do.  I wonder sometimes if anyone cares beside me.  My deputy has procrastinate for almost a year about station maintenance, his low cost fix for the northside snow problem was wiped out in about 15 seconds when the snow came off the roof.  There went about $200 in materials and labor.  I have piles of stuff on my desk that need my attention, yet I am too old to pull all nighters.  My office is cold, I usually work with a sweater and coat on, use to use the little electic heater, but that things sucks juice like a drunken sailor drinks beer.  Bill was up by almost $30 this month and the only thing differnet was that I use it alot last month.  Sleep good for the first time in about a week last night.  Has been about 5-6 hours and then I wake up and my mind starts to go 90mph for the rest of the day.   Have missions stuff to do tonight yet, but have to go away for the evening, so it will get done either late tonight or early tomorrow morning before church.    Hope we don't get a call tonight as I will have no way easy of going on it, even though I will be half a mile from the station.  This week has been so bad, that I find myself starting to snap at my wife.  NO GOOD.  We did have a nice supper out on Valentines day, but since then it has gone down hill.  Hope next week is an improvement.  Almost to the point of telling everyone off.  Not quite, but the thought has crossed my mind. 

Stress Plus

Have had an interesting last two weeks, besides having computer problems, I think the drive is on its last legs, have not been feeling all that well.The office says that I should get a new computer, but when is anybodys guess.  Have a  back plan for most of what I do, but will need to get my files  on a flash drive so as not to lose them.  The company stuff while easy to replace is a bit more of a problem as I need the computer almost everyday for customer orders, inventory, and other need it now stuff. For my large accounts, not having it available is NOT an option I want to deal with.  Have been working on missions conference stuff a lot for the last few weeks.  Have a bunch of emails from missionaries I need to put into a useable form for our conference and hopefully a few more to come in.  Really think this conference will be one of the better ones we have had.  Also, have a couple of (retired) missionaries in our church.  They went to the field in the early 80's and then God saw fit to bring the home because of an accident.  We have decided to honor them this year, not some they really want, but something that I and the committee felt was needed by our church.  Had a long talk with them last week and explained what we wanted to do, got their blessing and offers of help. Hope todo this in late June, I think maybe fathers day. Have a banner that I placed over the freeway on the day they left for the field. Hasn't been seen by anyone but me since that day, plan on using it as a way of starting to tell their story.  
The weather here has been really wintery.  Got lots of snow on the 2nd, spent most of the day just blowing snow.  Would not have gotten far if we had a fire call during the storm.  Measured 14" on the ground Wednesday the 2nd. at noon.  Did have a call about 10am that morning, but right on the main road.  Turned out to be just a down wire, but had to drive the fire trucks almost a mile to find a place to turn around.  Have been dealing with my personal problem almost daily, looks like we will be losing one and maybe both.  In talking with my district board last night,  told them I felt we needed to remove the fire prevention guy regardless even if he meets the residence requirement.  Just too many people are talking about this and it is not good for moral of the other firefighters.  We need to spend more time on recruiting new members and do not need old ones who are creating problems the whole town is talking about.  Looks like I will be the bad guy as they have left it to me to make the choice.  The man has been less then honest with me too many times to cut him any slack.
Have been having a problem with my left shoulder and upper arm.  Pain today is quite a bit less then the last few days, but still I am mineful of how I use it. Not sure what the problem is as I can't point to any one thing that would have caused it.  Last night, felt pain in the left shoulder and arm and across my back into the right shoulder.  Not sure what the problem is but it really is effecting my work and my energy level.   Might just be old age catching up with me.
With no TV, which by the way has almost be a year, find that I read more.  Have been rereading the book Ghost Mountain Boys, and cross-checking it with a book on New Guniea by Edwin Hoyt and also Dad's book on the 32nd. division.  Couple that with Google maps and I think I have a pretty good idea of the area where my Dad was shot during the Second World War.  It is hard to imagine the terrian of New Guniea being the way it is talked about in the books when you look at the Google maps.  On them it looks almost like terrian around here.  Been interesting and somewhat soul searching as I read and ponder what they went through.   It seems like I am always trying to answer questions, after the people who knew the answers have died. I think when they were living, I was too wrapped up in me and realize what I was missing or ignoring.  Spent the day or most of it at the station,  got some things done, but not near enough.  Wish I could just spend about 6 months working on stuff.  Once it was done, things would go much smoother.  Then I could maybe just enjoy the job, or maybe retire.  Got an email today from Steve Mills, he and his wife are missionaries to TOGO,  right next door to Ghana. He is a PA and she is a nurse. Can not believe what they and the rest of their staff go thru in the course of their week.  Just reading about their week makes mine seem quite insignificant.  Also, ready a book by Jay Walsh titled Ripe Mangos,  talks about some of the people and ministries in Bangladesh. Right after I read that, we got a letter from Geo Collins, his son in law.  George works with national churches in countries that do not readily accept missionaries.  He also spent 8 years is Bangladesh.  Anyway, he wrote about the passing of a pastor's wife that he had know from his earlier days there.  The name stuck me, and I looking in the book that his father in law had written 30 years before.  The lady's story was in the book about her coming to Christ and her eventual marriage to a young pastor.  Found that interesting.  My wife has been looking at a lot of our pictures from early in our marriage.  As I look at the skinny kid she married, and the cute little girls and boys of our youth, I find my self wishing they still we little.  Wishing that the days had not gone so quick.  Wishing I had realize sooner that I was important in their lives, and not just what I could provide.  Wishing I had found more of my fulfillment in being a daddy to them rather than a person who got things done for other people.  Some how top cows, a well equipped and trained fire department and farm bureau leader seem kind of empty.   This week brings a fire meeting, with annual elections, my report is short and contains no big surprises, just care on and watch the dollars. The week after will set the course for several iitems that must be faced.  Hey that's way I get to wear the white hat, and get the BIG dollars.   Yeah   right.